One Tough Mother

I was in a bookstore with a friend and Avery last weekend.  Avery had been a little challenging all week, due to not enough napping, cutting all 4 eye teeth and generally being 15 months old. 

She was in her stroller in said bookstore when she started (loudly) complaining about sitting in the stroller while I was browsing at books.  Because I was with a friend and will every once in a while do {almost} anything to pacify the munchkin in order to have a little adult time, I let her out of the stroller.  I have since discovered that by doing this, I broke the cardinal rule of parenting.  Avery then thought, “Hey, I won!” and proceeded to run around the bookstore while contemplating tearing pages out of all the books and dropping breakable gifts (which, by the way, are placed far too low). 

Avery meandered her way over the clearance book section.  It was right by where we were, it was keeping her entertained for a minute, and honestly I thought, “Well, at least if she tears a page, its on clearance.” She then picked up a book, toddled over and handed it to me.  The book?  A parenting book titled One Tough Mother. 

1 years* old/ Catch up

I started this post about 2 months ago.  I know, I know, Mother of the Year:)  Here’s an update.

Yes, our little princess turned 1 on May 28.  I know it sounds cliche, but seriously, where did the year go?  She had a great birthday.  On her actual birthday, we met daddy for lunch, played outside, took a walk, took 2 naps, went to a petting farm and ate cake and ice cream.  All the makings of a killer 1st bday.

Avery was especially interested in the goats at the petting farm.  While I didn’t actually let her pet them (hey, I didn’t even want to!), she loved them and kept calling them (as well as the cows) dada.  This was much to daddy’s dismay.

She thoroughly enjoyed the cupcake and ice cream.  She’s been rather Gandhi-ish lately, going on hunger strikes and all (unless Cheerios are offered), so we were happy that she was eating something.  She kind of looked at me like, “Why have you been holding out on me, lady?  I mean, really, beef and mixed veggies from a jar?”

The festivities picked up a notch or 500 on Saturday when her “surprise party” happened.  Avery was shocked when Grandma and Grandpa Johnson, U. Troy and A. Liz, U. Riz, and A. Katie showed up.  Shocking.

We had the best time, and Avery did too, as she got lots of great gifts including a sand/water table from G&G, cute clothes, a basketball/baseball/football toy, books and lots of other great stuff.  We just kind of hung out here all weekend, grilled out, ordered pizza, played outside, and went to the outlet malls.  We were so glad that we were able to have family out.  It was quite cozy in our little home, but we made it work.

At one year, Avery was taking some steps, saying a few words (mama, dada, doggy), taking 2 naps/ day, eating mostly baby food and starting to eat some “real” food, had 8 teeth, and a great personality.  She loves to dance (shoulder/penguin dance), loves music, singing, playing with her kitchen and moving.  Seriously, the child does not stop moving.  We know she’s ready to have a nap or go to bed or take a nap when she literally just lays on the floor for a minute.  She goes until she can go no more.  She loves taking walks in the stroller, swinging on the swing, being with mom and dad, loves other kids a lot and tries to talk to each and everyone she sees.  Loves her Grandma and Grandpas and Aunts and Uncles.  Generally loves people unless you work in the church nursery, then you are the devil incarnate.

At one year: Avery was 30 inches long (off the charts), weighed 21 lbs 11 oz (75th percentile), and I can’t remember what her head measurement was, but its still off the charts..thanks, Dad.

We love her like crazy and can’t imagine what we’d do without her.  She truly brings us lots of joy and happiness!!  

unexpected answer

The beginning of a phone conversation last night with my sister, Katie.

Me: Hello?

K: Hi!

Me: Hi!

K: How are you doing?

Me: I’m doing okay.  How are you?

K: I’m doing pretty good….just got home from ice skating lessons.

Me: Of course you did.

I can honestly say I didn’t see that one coming. 

Congratulations on being moved out of the beginner level, Kate.  (And don’t lose your book…you only get one per lifetime).  Love you!

I love my husband.

But he has some, um….quirks.  Yes, let’s call them quirks.

Quirk no. 1.  Sickness and how husband deals with them. 

A week or two ago, Tim got sick.  He had a cough and a fever of 99.0.  To be fair, our ear thermometer said he had a temp of 100.0 in the other ear.  The cough and the (very low grade) fever were the symptoms.  Tim, obviously, diagnosed himself with whooping cough.  He walked around like a zombie for about three days, claiming he probably shouldn’t change a diaper, or do anything to help with A.  Then, he said he thought he should go to the doc.  YES!  Finally someone (other than me) to convince him that I didn’t need to call the morgue and let them know he was on his way.  I mean, I understand that a cough stinks and that it wasn’t fun to have a temp .4 degrees above normal….piping hot.  But, what he fails to understand is that I would have A LOT more sympathy for him if he wouldn’t act like everything he did would probably be his last.  Any tips, ladies?

Quirk no. 2.  Phone calls from work from husband.

This is a typical phone conversation when Tim calls me from work:

Me: Hello?

T: Hey.

Me: Hey.

(silence)

Me: What’s up?

T: Nothing.

Me: What are you doing?

T: Working.

Me: How’s is going? Anything happening today?

T: Not really.

Me: Oh, well, we’ve just been playing…went for a walk earlier.  Avery’s been really cute, she just smiled at me and it was the cutest smile (etc.).

T: Oh, great.  Well, I should get back to work.

Me: Okay.  (Wondering if he remembered that he actually called me, and not vice versa).  Great talking with you *sarcasm*.

T: (Not picking up on the sarcasm).  Yeah, love you. Bye.

Riveting, eh?

Delayed posting

So, I have been getting called out for not blogging more frequently (by the 2 people who read this), so here you go, Mom and Stacey.  :) 

Avery and I went back to Iowa for a week about 2 weeks ago.  It was, shockingly, the easiest airplane trip we have taken so far.  The TSA workers at Dayton were especially helpful in getting my stroller through the x-ray machines and testing my formula.  Avery did well on the planes (thankfully her reflux is over and I no longer have to carry 20 bibs with me for an hour trip), and enjoyed walking around O’Hare during our connection.  No delays, difficulties or diaper explosions!  Yay, us!

We had a great time visiting everyone and it was really fun to see A warm up to all of her aunts and uncles during the trip.  She genuinely loved them all…for some, it took a little extra effort..Uncle Ryan was hopping around like a kangaroo to get smiles.  Avery makes them work for attention.

We also got to celebrate Troy and Elizabeth’s upcoming marriage with a shower for Elizabeth at Mimi’s cafe.  We are so excited to have her officially in the family.  Her and Troy make a perfect couple and it just feels right that she will be a John-son.  Her mom was also able to come to the shower since she was in town to help Eliz with wedding stuff before the big day.  What a sweet mom---I remember Sally from when we lived in Orion, but hadn’t seen her in years…I am very thankful for the great family Troy is marrying into.  We can’t wait for the wedding…its coming soon!  (But still plenty of time for planning—for Elizabeth if she is reading).

We also got to see my college roommate and dear friend, Angie while we were back.  Its always great to see her…and this time  we got to meet her new little one, Yirah.  What a doll and what a beautiful family.  I think Avery was scaring Moriah a  bit…Avery was loving a lot of M’s toys:)  It will be fun to see them all as they grow up!

Avery updates:  getting her molars (teeth #9 and #10), crawling fast!, pulling up on everything, lots of bumps to the head, blowing raspberries (thanks, Grandma), hair getting long (looking cute with bows), 18 month old clothes already, 30 inches, 22 lbs, great smile, says “mama” and “dada”, loves “doggies” and says “daadaa”, loves tubby time and being naked, loves cords and strings, puffs and cheerios, juice, eating in general, taking rides in the stroller, riding in the shopping cart, when daddy comes home from work, Grandma and Grandpa, aunts and uncles, singing (especially when songs include the word Avery), clapping, super cute. (biased, yes).  Hates: the church nursery and her nemesis, the post-meal washcloth.

I should put some pics on here, eh?  To prove the super cute part, at least.

Sea Legs

Today has been one of those days...I feel like I need to go to the gym to rest!

Avery is wonderfully active now. She has taken quite a few hits to the head including one bad one today. She now has a bump on the back of her head (for which I get Worst Mom of the Week Award...I was a social worker long enough to know what would possibly qualify one for Worst Mom of the Year).

I called the nurse hotline to make sure I didn't need to bring her in to check on it, get some advice on what I should do, and probably to alleviate some guilt. I explained to the nurse that she fell about an hour ago, hit her head and had a bump. She then asked me if Avery was unconscious.

Um, yeah, I've just been letting her lay around unconscious...I thought I would give it an hour and then call the nurse hotline.

No! She's not unconscious...just has a bump. I thought it was kind of comical.

Avery's trying to pull up on everything but doesn't quite have her sea legs yet, which makes the topples pretty frequent. I feel like I'm spotting an inexperinced rock climber for about 5 hours per day. She's getting braver and she's real cute though.

The day has been generally dragging along for some reason....but alas, its almost 5:00 and T-Dids will be home soon! Yippee.

Happy Friday everyone!

Dedication, Grams and Gramps visit, and 1st V-day

Well, I took (another) hiatus from the blogger world. I think I am going to keep my posts shorter overall, which will help me blog more frequently. I have a lot of funny stuff to say, don't get me wrong, but until someone pays me for my time, I might just keep my (self-declared) hilarity to a few blogs here and there, my hubs, and phone conversations...

Moving on...G and G Johnson came out for a visit over the weekend. They knew Tim and I would want to be with them on Valentines Day;) Actually, they also wanted to be here for Avery's baby dedication at our church. It was great to have them out here and although our life is a little slow between naps and early bedtimes, we had a great time with them here. We all wish we lived a bit closer, of course. (Sometimes I think Grandma wishes she lived next door).

Avery's baby dedication went well, except for all the crying she did on stage. The pastor (whom Avery has never really seen up close) asked to hold her...on stage...in front of everyone. I didn't know how to politely decline in front of 500-600 people, so I handed her over and prepared for the worst. I thought she was going to make it at first, due to a microphone cord (she's already a techie) she found on the pastor. But, nope, as soon as he started talking, she started acting like she just got bitten by a tiger. *sigh* She looked very cute, however, and mission was accomplished...we agreed to raise her to the best of our ability to know and love God....no simple thing in today's world.

Avery also had her first Valentines Day. We thought we would get her an activity table to celebrate. This table is now known as "My Worst Parenting Decision So Far". It plays music....loudly...and pretty much everything you touch makes noise....and it has no on/off switch or volume control...Yeah, next time I'll pay the extra $15 for that luxury.

What I Didn’t Know

Well, 2010 is officially here.  Y2KX is what they are calling it, apparently.  What did 2009 bring for me, you ask?  A new job for my husband, the end of working outside our home for me (for awhile at least), a new home and most significantly, a baby!  Wow.  As much as life changes when you get married, move away, start a new job, buy a home, stop working…etc…nothing can prepare you for the changes that having a little one brings. 

Pregnancy prepares you  for some changes.  During the first 20 weeks, you feel “huge”. Oh no, *gasp* my skinny jeans don’t fit.  And then by the end of pregnancy, you’re just hoping you can find a pant/shirt combination that actually covers your entire midsection, or at least comes close enough so you don’t end up in one of those Wal-Mart emails.  Then there are those women (shouldn’t women know better?) that ask if you are having “multiples” (c’mon ladies, at least say twins!  Do I really look as big as Octomom?).  I mean, really…I feel about as attractive as roadkill….don’t make it worse.  And then there’s morning sickness (or night/all day sickness as I would have it) and the smells or words that can make you sick by just thinking about them.  I couldn’t set foot in the main floor of our townhouse during my first trimester due to a mystery smell (that Tim still insists doesn’t exist…sidenote to husbands—do not tell your prego wife that something doesn’t smell…we are like bloodhounds while pregnant…and hormonal—just agree and at least give the appearance of trying to find the horrible smell!) and I still feel a little sick when I think about hamburger helper, but then again, maybe that’s normal.  I also got the added bonus of wearing prescription pregnancy pantyhose during the last 3-4 months of pregnancy.  Wow, that was fun.  In addition to adding a half hour to my morning routine (have you ever tried to put these things on?..think overstuffed sausage),  my body was operating at about 110 degrees pre-pantyhose, so it was around 150 with those lovelies on.  Thankfully, they come in a fashionable nude shade, which virtually goes with everything!  And all of this happens before the labor even begins.

The interesting thing for my labor and delivery was how much preparation went into getting ready to head to the hospital.  Tim and I looked like we could have been going on a month-long vacation when we showed up at the hospital complete with massage lotions, pillows, scented candles and some sweets.  Almost sounds like a Valentines weekend getaway, doesn’t it?  We were obviously first-timers.  We also took the childbirth classes and learned all sorts of pain management techniques (which is why we brought along above noted items).  When I was actually in labor, however, my nurse Virginia (who usually works in the OR and whose son was a Navy SEAL—she obviously had little sympathy for any amount of pain I was experiencing evidenced by the fact  that she never asked me how I was feeling the entire day) told me that none of those techniques work anyways, and to just lay there and watch TV, which I did.  The epidural proved to be the only pain management technique that I used.  Could have saved myself 2 days worth of class and about $60 had I known that.

Then there is the week following delivery….no one prepares you for that.  Ouch.  No one tells you that your biggest fear post-partum will be using the restroom.  And nothing prepares you for the first 6 weeks of breastfeeding while sleep deprived.  Ouchie (how can this little person with no teeth feel like a staple gun?).

Now, I realize, for the record, that my pregnancy experience is very typical and that things could be way, way, way worse…I know there are people that cannot have children or that have miscarriages or have lots of medical problems or that have awful pregnancies the entire time.  I know that I am very blessed to have a healthy baby and no complications. 

All of this to say, that the one thing people tell you but you don’t expect is that it is ALL worth it.  You truly feel that way---100%.  You think, up until you have that baby (or maybe about 2 months into parenthood) that parents are gluttons for punishment—people do this more than once on purpose?!?!.  I mean fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me!  The moment you see that little face that you (with the help of your husband and a miracle from God) made, you would wear those stupid pregnancy pantyhose, barf a few times a week for months, and walk around resembling a watermelon again (maybe not soon, but sometime).  Somehow love really does conquer all in the case of a baby.  Even during those sleepless nights and late night feedings, you know that this is a special, fleeting time in life and try hard to enjoy even the hard times when truest meaning of love has to be revealed so you can get up…again…to feed, change, burp, soothe…that miracle in the crib.

New Computer

Tim is da bomb.  MiniMe is working it.  I’m going to blog my brains out.

 

simple pleasures

i think one of the simple pleasures in life is pulling the covers over your sleeping child to keep them warm and watching them while they sleep. i never knew how much i could love her.

skinny jeans and photo shoots

So I have a really Deep Question...(not so much). I do realize, friends, that there are much bigger problems in the world and I do think about things other than the trivial subject that I am going to talk about here. But, what are your thoughts on skinny jeans? I have some boots thanks to mom/Santa Claus already for Christmas. They are really cute gray boots that are kind of bunchy (what's the word for them?) Anyways, I really love the look of the jeans with the boots...but don't know if they will accentuate my, um, assets, if you get my drift. Mom-hood has left me looking like I just got off a horse with my saddlebags...not sure I could really pull them off, especially pushing a stroller and with spit up all over me (not to mention my hair that seems to be falling out in chunks---pretty soon Tim and I both will need Rogaine:). What are your honest thoughts on the look?

Not too much big news happening with the Whites. Avery got her first pumpkin patch experience this weekend. It was definitely more for Tim and I than her. We wanted to get some cute photos of her and start this wonderful family tradition. Well, someone forgot to tell us that 4 months olds don't care about pumpkins, Halloween, or silly hats. We should have picked up on this when we arrived. We seemed to be the only ones with an infant at the patch. We were also the only ones who arrived looking ready to take senior portraits. While other parents of toddlers and elementary aged kids trudged through the patch in their sweats and sneakers, we watched our step in our leather shoes and tried not to get our sweaters dirty while looking for the perfect pumpkin to take our perfect shot of Avery. When we finally found it, we laid a blanket down for A to sit on and did tricks and sound effects and tried to tickle her. And you know what, I don't think she smiled, even once, during the entire time we were at that stupid patch. I mean, we could barely get her to look in the direction of the camera. And to be perfectly honest, we didn't even pick a pumpkin out of the patch there. Oh well, I guess we can try to start another tradition next year.

4 Months of Loving our Little Lady

Avery turned 4 months old on September 28, which just so happens to be Aunt Stacey's birthday (happy 25th to her!). We had her 4 month appointment on Monday (October 5) and found out that she is definitely growing! She measured 26.75 inches long and weighed 16 pounds 13.6 ounces. She was in the 90th percentile for her weight and was literally "off the charts" for her length and her head size (thanks, Tim).

Avery and I were in Iowa for about a week and a half, returning to Dayton on October 3. We had a great time seeing Grandma Deb and Grandpa Neil as well as all the aunts and uncles on the Johnson side of the family. Avery was sufficiently spoiled both in love and attention and in additions to her wardrobe and toy collection...so much so that we had to take another suitcase back home on the plane. The plane ride went well overall, and it was definitely a learning experience. I learned that while traveling alone on a plane with a baby, I need about 4 more hands. I am looking into how to make this possible. We wish we could have seen more people while we were back, but I was feeling quite under the weather for about 4 or 5 days and then Avery picked up whatever I had. We did have a great time seeing old teammates and their families at Central's volleyball alumni game the first weekend we were back. I can't believe how easy it was to reconnect and how in some ways it felt as if nothing had changed (besides the masses of children running around, pregnant ladies and lack of athletic prowess).

Tim was in Italy (Erice, Sicily to be exact) during the week we were in Iowa. He made it back safe and sound, and is now trying to figure out how to extend his life since he figured he lost a year or two while over there due to secondhand smoke inhalation. He did some sightseeing, gave a talk (which he "nailed"), spent lots of time eating unidentified foods and talked science with other science guys. I think a week on an island surrounded by other scientists made him appreciate his social worker wife a bit more:)

That's all for now. I am going to learn how to post pictures soon...

a blind moose

well, yesterday was the grand opening of a new ikea store in west chester, which is about 40 minutes from where we live. a friend of mine asked if i wanted to go with her, as she is a hardcore ikea fan and has always dreamed of going to an ikea grand opening. i didn't really know what this process entails....we left her place at 4 am. the "festivities started at 6 am. we had to get there early, apparently, so that we were one of the first 2500 people there so we can get a free gift. according to friend, we needed to get there, put out chairs and wrap up in blankets until the store opens at 9 am so that we can get the free prize. well, we got there, and we were approximately number 150 in line. we could have gotten there at 8:50 (slept in and avoided the cold, blankets, etc.) and still received a gift. oh well.

the festivities included seeing "who dey" (the bengals mascot), mr. redlegs and gapper (the reds' mascots), the blue blob (no idea who he is) and marty the moose (the ikea mascot). the most entertaining part of the "festivities" was seeing marty not being able to see. the moose was blind. someone hadn't put the costume together right or something, i'm not sure. but the moose had to have an ikea worker walk around with him and say to him things like, "the crowd is to your left, wave" or someone wants to take a picture with you....on your right." it was really funny. and for some reason the moose's head was always pointed down so it always looked like he was ashamed of himself. it was hysterical and i'm not doing it justice.

with that said, i ate swedish meatballs, bought a few things and tasted free samples. ikea was fun.

not so urgent

so tim and i went to "urgent care" last night. we weren't really needing urgent care, but we actually thought we may have had strep throat and wanted antibiotics. tim actually thought about just using some leftover meds from some other illness to do self-treatment but didn't think he had the right ones left over:) i'm serious about this...he's crazy.

so off we went to urgent care. those urgent care places just seem germ infested, like, if you aren't actually sick when you go, you will be when you leave. you know the kind of place. anyways, we decided that only one of us would get checked out...that way if we don't need medication, we didn't waste money since we both have the same symptoms. but, "what if you do need medication?" you ask...well, tim decided that they always give you more (you probably only need 5 days of antibiotics if they give you a prescription for 10), so we would just share. i know, he's lovably ridiculous. :)

well, we get there and the doc comes in and tim tells him the symptoms...the doc kind of looks at us like...um, you realize this is called "urgent care", right? clearly, a "dry cough" and sore throat wasn't urgent enough. one throat swab and a few semi-corny jokes later, we find out we have all the symptoms for the flu. who knew? we didn't.

what happened to the flu we had as kids...the kind where mom brings you 7-up and toast and you sit on the couch and watch tv with a bucket near by? does this flu exist still? we have a glorified cold, in my opinion.

solitary confinement?

Tim and I simultaneously woke up at about 2 am with sore throats...not the "oh--it kind of hurts" kind, but the "oh-maybe I should let saliva overflow out of my mouth so I don't have to swallow" kind. Tim subscribes to any sort of medication that stops the hurt now. He'll take left over prescription meds, take too many Aleve, Ibuprofen, and Aspirin together. I think I'm making him sound like he needs help, but he just doesn't have a fear of taking drugs. I, on the other hand, think of all the side effects. The chloroseptic spray told me not to swallow any, so I worried that I did...Tim tells me he needs to swallow some so that he gets all of the sore spots.

Anyways, on to the question...how do you keep one spouse from getting what the other spouse has? Tim was feeling down yesterday, but living in a 700 (or is it 600?) square foot apartment with one bedroom isn't exactly ideal for quarantine. Any ideas on staying healthy when there's no where to go?

possibilities

i (jaymie) just got back from a job interview...a second interview for a school based therapist at an alternative school in dayton. i guess i informally received a job offer. i think, if i get a formal offer, i think i'll take it. it's funny to talk through this stuff with someone who you actually have to consider in the decision...besides just talking it through with the parents or weighing pros and cons with friends and siblings.

i think it's fun to go through this time in life with someone else. i have been on my own long enough (i think?) that i can make my own decisions and i am independent. i know how to do things to keep myself alive and healthy and generally happy. i can take care of myself.

but its wonderful to have someone you care about so much and someone who cares about you so much that you want to include them in big decisions in life...getting support and being able to rely on someone.

i am so thankful for tim...that he has provided for me in the past few months that i haven't had a job and that he has given me so much love in the few months of marriage. i am so blessed to have a man like him. its hasn't been all butterflies and rainbows, but there have been a lot:)

and i am looking forward to all of the possibilities and decisions that, lord willing, are in our future.

welcome future faithful readers!

welcome to our blog.
this is all quite exciting.